By the 1940’s one man stood as the most powerful one in America next to only the President. That man was Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) DirectoBy the 1940’s one man stood as the most powerful one in America next to only the President. That man was Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director J. Edgar Hoover. In 1917 Hoover had graduated from George Washington Law School and landed a job in the Justice Department. During World War I Hoover registered interned aliens, this experience led him to identify and deport dangerous Communists. His formidable organization skills were noticed and he was promoted to assistant director of the FBI in1921 and subsequently appointed to the directorship chief in 1924. As director, He transformed the Bureau from an old-line detective agency politically controlled and staffed through patronage into one characterized by professionalism. He invented the fingerprint system to individually identify people and kept a well-organized collection of fingerprints. He also instituted a rigid system of control to combat any kind public scandal that might diminish the Bureau.

In the 1930’s Hoover’s FBI captured notorious gangsters such as John Dillinger. He also is given credit for helping President Franklin Roosevelt to promote his New Deal policies by giving the country confidence that they were well protected.

Also in the 1930’s Hollywood was searching for material to publish. The exciting field of Investigation got in their sights, they began to produce and show G Men movies such as “You Can’t get Away with it,” These movies made Hoover not only famous but also popular as an American hero.

When Harry Truman became President, he became the first President that Hoover didn’t like and get along with. Hoover always viewed Communist activities as America’s number one crime. Truman didn’t share that opinion. He was a friend of Dwight Eisenhower and President Eisenhower approved of all of Hoover’s plans. However, when John Kennedy took over Hoover distrusted him as a symbol of social change that Hoover hated and feared. When Lyndon Johnson succeeded Kennedy. Hoover had a 20-year friendship with Johnson. Under Johnson, Hoover finally began to enforce civil law rights in the South.

Hoover very much liked President Richard Nixon and Nixon reciprocated. However, Nixon’s aids disliked Hoover, they felt that Hoover was a relic and way past his prime. Nixon though didn’t have the heart to fire Hoover. Nixon did, however, have his own people take on projects rather than rely on the FBI to do it. It is said that Nixon Aid’s didn’t trust the FBI to break into the Water Gate Hotel. So, they did it themselves.

On May 2, 1972 Hoover died. He was given a Military Funeral. However afterwards through the Freedom of Information Act files of FBI abuses emerged including illegal wiretapping. J Edgar Hoover was a hero to the crime and anti- communist sector of the public and a villain to the civil liberties sector. Either way he was one of the 20th Centuries most important people....more

There were only a handful of men who put fear into the hearts of Rome at its peak. His name was Spartacus. Spartacus was a captured man from the city There were only a handful of men who put fear into the hearts of Rome at its peak. His name was Spartacus. Spartacus was a captured man from the city of Thrace that was chosen as a gladiator to fight other gladiators to the death purely to entertain the Roman public. Gladiators were trained by Roman owners who bought groups of men to fight in these events. They trained before they fought in a gladiatorial contest with wooden weapons to prevent injury. Spartacus proved as the best gladiator in Lentulus Batiatus’s camp. After defeating many gladiators thus making riches for Bariatus, Spartacus planned a rebellion with fellow gladiators. He led an attack, killed Batiatus and therefore escaped imprisonment with fellow gladiators.

The band of gladiators led by Spartacus attacked cities where they freed slaves. The slaves joined there rag time army. Rome sent its army after the Spartacus’s outlaws but was defeated 11 times. Finally, Crassus, the richest man in Rome, raised an army to pursue Spartacus.

Spartacus wanted his band of misfits to cross the Alps and disperse into freedom. However, they were confident after all their victories and felt Spartacus was blessed to win victory after victory. So Spartacus relented and led the legions of followers down to the boot of Italy. There he contacted Pirates and paid them to use their boats to sail to Sicily. In Sicily he felt he could get their grain for food plus free the huge slave population. Unfortunately, though the Pirates were caught by the Romans and therefore never showed up.

Crassus knew where Spartacus was so he dug a ditch across the whole of Italy in order to trap Spartacus and his army. Spartacus, however, was not only tough he was a genius as well. He figured out that a ridge along the ditches were his best way to escape. When he tried to break it at the ridge the Romans were ready and the bombarded the slaves and gladiators until Spartacus had to retreat. However, the next morning Spartacus tried again and surprised Romans therefore breaking through the Roman line and escaping the entrapment. In his heart, he knew he was never going to beat the great Roman Army. Crassus had 8 legions plus Pompey the Great was returning to Rome after yet another round of sensational victories in the Third Mithridatic War and Hispania.

Spartacus’s plan was to get to Crassus and kill him. Once he was dead the Roman legions would be leaderless and degrade into confusion. This was the only chance he had to win this battle. In the brutal battle Spartacus reached Crassus but was speared numerous times by a group of Roman soldiers and finally killed. His body was taken by his men because the Romans never found it. Those of Spartacus’s s army, some 6000, who survived were crucified along the Appian Way leading into Rome itself.

Spartacus was dead but he lived on as an example of oppressed people not standing for their oppressed status.

The story recalls the past glory of the two greatest leaders of the Civil War and their relationship. Grant and Sherman's incredible victories combineThe story recalls the past glory of the two greatest leaders of the Civil War and their relationship. Grant and Sherman's incredible victories combined to crush the game but overmatched Confederate Army led by who was considered the War's best Generals Robert E . Lee. The book runs a little long describing in detail what the victory parade entailed at the end of the book. Otherwise, the book is marginally good.

I must note what a nice good man U.S. Grant was. After his presidency, he was swindled out of his earnings by a bad investment. On this deathbed he wrote his much anticipated memoir in order that his wife would have money to live off once he had passed. He died 3 days after completing it. ...more

The book describes the battles and struggles that had led to the electrifying of America. Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, had discovereThe book describes the battles and struggles that had led to the electrifying of America. Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, had discovered direct current electricity. However, a genius working for Edison Nikola Tesla had discovered alternating current. Edison viewed alternating current as dangerous. As a result, a man with a great business acumen, George Westinghouse lured Tesla to his company in Pittsburgh. Tesla also developed the induction motor which needed alternating current to work and created a more useful use for electricity.

Thomas Edison who held tremendous prestige as a world famous inventor did everything he could to discredit alternating current as too dangerous. The problem with direct current is that the power source had to be close to where the electricity was being distributed. On the other hand, alternating current power stations can be miles away from their intended release. Edison had outfitted the New York elite with direct current to provide light at night. At the same time he had delegates apply alternating current to dogs to prove how deadly alternating current is. This act did not help Edison's case because the alternating current made the dogs suffer and the torturing of an animals alienated a lot of people.

Westinghouse and Tesla's alternating current won the debate. And it's usefulness came into fashion when a mammoth 6 million dollar undertaking took place by diverting water from Niagara Falls which culminated into producing alternating current electricity to businesses in Buffalo.

The most interesting part of the book is Chapter 13 "Afterward." The author, Jill Jones, described what happened to the 3 men most responsible for electrifying America. Thomas Edison, who relied on wealthy men's money to fund his adventures, was forced into a merger with a competitor, by JP Morgan who named the new business General Electric ultimately forcing Edison to quit his own company. Afterwards, Edison struggled for funds but did manage to develop a motion picture machine.

George Westinghouse, story is not as happy. He comes out of this book as a real good guy. His tremendous company had thousands of employees. He spared no expense on research and paid his employees well. This led his company into debt. Then when "the Panic of 1907" hit his creditors came to recoup their money. Westinghouse tried to borrow but the Banks were broke. As a result, he filed for bankruptcy. He considered it just a set back and promised workers that they would get their jobs back. To get the business back he makes the company public to gain the money he needs. However, a hostile takeover of his business came shortly afterwards and he lost his company. Near his death he said, " if some day they say of me that with my work I have contributed something to the welfare and happiness of my fellow men, I shall be satisfied." He can rest being very satisfied.

Nikola Tesla is another story. His genius in electricity had made him a celebrity. However, when he needed money to fund his scientific adventures he came under JP Morgan’s money spell. Morgan lent him money but forced him to hand over Tesla’s patents for his discoveries in return. Without regard to the necessary time it takes for such an undertaking as Tesla’s goal of producing one electric generator to produce electrify for the whole country, Morgan pulled the plug on him. Tesla, without any income asked Morgan for money. Morgan flatly refused. The Waldorf Astoria in NYC was kind enough to let Tesla live there for free. Then when JP Morgan died his son generously provided Tesla with a stipend.Tesla retired as an eccentric living with his beloved pigeon.

The characteristic which was most evident in both Edison and Westinghouse was their optimism. Nothing dissuaded their pursuit of producing electricity. And all three had a tremendous vision of what was then thought of as impossible. There is nothing more important than this discovery which made life easier and more pleasant.

Harold A Bloom’s book on Genius considers the 100 of people the author views as the smartest people of all time. His list includes religious icons sucHarold A Bloom’s book on Genius considers the 100 of people the author views as the smartest people of all time. His list includes religious icons such as Saint Paul and Augustine as well as famous secularist’s Proust and Calvino.I am not going to make this a long review of my favorites. Instead I am going to discuss the one I found most intriguing. This man was known as The Yahwist. He was believed to have lived between 980 -900 B.C.E. He is credited as have written the book of Genesis, Exodus and Numbers of the Bible. Harold Bloom views the Yahwist written words through atheist eyes. I believe in God so I view Yahwist’s words as truth but looking as Mr. Bloom does I find the stories the most creative I have ever come across if, in fact, they are fiction. An example is where God chooses Moses to lead the Jews from Egypt. Moses said to God “Please, O Lord I have never been a man of words… I am slow of speech and slow of tongue. And God replied, “Who gives man speech? Who makes him dumb or death, seeing or blind? Is it not I, God. Now go as I will be with you as you speak and will instruct you what to say.” God then instructs Moses to meet Moses brother Aaron the Levite where God will put words in both their mouths. And hands Moses a rod to perform signs with. If this story is fiction it is the best fiction ever laid to paper....more

This book explains reasons why a society may collapse or may succeed. It reviews great Empires that have vanished due to mistakes they made. Jared DiaThis book explains reasons why a society may collapse or may succeed. It reviews great Empires that have vanished due to mistakes they made. Jared Diamond based the reasons for collapse on a five point framework.

The first is the environmental damage a country has produced. Many societies had cut down all their trees to build homes, heat homes and build tools. However, they either lacked the knowledge or did not consider to seed new trees to replace the old ones. Tree loss not only caused erosion and with it farm land loss but also left no place for animals to survive which they could hunt for food. Easter Islanders disappeared from history because the people consumed all of its trees. They left us with incredible statues made of red stone that weigh 12 tons but no decedents of those who built it.

Volcanic ash provides nutrients to the soil so societies who had volcanic activity had productive farming while those that did not farmed all the nutrients from the soil and then could not grow anything else. For example Japan’s volcanic activity provided the small island with arable land due to the nutrients in volcanic ash.

The second factor is climate change. The climate has changed over and over throughout history hurting some societies while helping others. Many became either drier, colder, wetter or hotter which the unfortunate people were not prepared to handle. For example, part of the reason the Norse who inhabited Greenland failed was due to sea ice formations preventing shipping trade with Norway.

The third factor is the proximity to hostile neighbors. If a country was not strong enough to hold off a neighbor it would likely be overtaken by them. The example given is the great Roman Empire’s collapse due to Germanic invasions.

The fourth factor is s loss of support from trading partners. Most societies needed goods that other countries could provide. If that support stopped the society may collapse. An example arises today as wealthy European countries rely on third world countries to supply oil to them.

The final factor is how the societies respond to the other four factors. The Inuit people, for example, survived living in Greenland (unlike the Norse) by using little wood. They built Igloos for houses, hunted whales for food and hunted seals to burn their blubber for heat. They also stretched seal skins to make kayaks. Another example is the past societies of Highland New Guinea, Japan, Tikopia, and Tonga developed successful forestry management programs thus surviving to this day. On the other hand, Easter Island, Mangareva, and Norse Greenland failed to develop forestry management and collapsed as a result.

Fortunately Mr. Diamond sees that many countries today have rectified mistakes of the past so our humanity still has a chance to prosper well into the future.

The former Heavyweight champion of the World Sonny Listen was a former convict who learned how to box in prison and become one of the most feared boxeThe former Heavyweight champion of the World Sonny Listen was a former convict who learned how to box in prison and become one of the most feared boxers in boxing history. He was just 6 foot 1 inch but had an incredible fist circumference of 15 inches, larger than former Champion 6 foot 9 inch Primo Carnero’s hands.

At prison he met Prison Staff Priest, Alois Stevens, who introduced him to boxing and arranged for an early release for Sonny in 1952. Sonny started with a successful Amateur career winning the Chicago and New York Golden Gloves championships. He then turned professional in September 1953 knocking out Boxer Don Smith in round one. He won his next 6 bout before dropping a split decision to Marty Marshall. He won his next 26 bouts in a row, 22 of them by Knock out. The current Champion Floyd Patterson’s manager, Cus Damata, did not want to give Sonny a shot at Floyd’s championship.

Trouble swirled around Listen during these years. He had been arrested for speeding and assault but was always released due to his connections with Gangsters Frankie Carbo and Blinky Palermo who ran Sonny’s boxing career from behind the scenes.

However, public pressure forced a match between Champion Floyd Patterson and Sonny. September 25 1962 they met in the ring where Sonny destroyed Floyd with a first round knockout becoming the new heavyweight champion of Boxing in the destructive aftermath. A rear later a rematch happened with the same result -KO round 1.

There was no one in boxing that could come up with a contender who could beat Sonny when a young former Olympic Champion demanded his shot at the title. Very few at the time knew that this man would become one of the greatest of all time - Muhammad Ali.

Ali’s record was 19-0 when he fought Sonny for the Championship. He was also a huge underdog, some even fearing for the young man’s life.

They fought February 25th 1964 in Miami. From the start of the fight Muhammad plastered Sonny with jabs then moved out of the way before Sonny could hit him with his thunderous punches. By the end of the 6th Sonny’s face was a mess. It was puffy and bloody. Then astonishingly Sonny Liston quit, never getting off his stool to proceed to round 7. He claimed that his shoulder was injured but he lost his championship, none the less, as a TKO.

The rematch happened May 25, 1965 and it went down as as one of the most controversial matches in boxing history. In the very first round Ali caught Liston with a short fast punch that floored Sonny. Sonny laid there as Ali stood over him. The referee, another former champion though retired, Jersey Joe Walcott, did not start the 10 count until Ali moved into a neutral corner. Afterwards he started the count and then the time keeper yelled that 10 seconds had passed already ( The fighter has 10 seconds to rise or else he is considered knocked out). Jersey Joe stopped counting and declared Ali the winner. The punch that dropped Sonny is known as “the phantom punch” because it is hard to see the power it delivered.

Naturally some of the press clamored that is was a fix. The truth is that a young Muhammad Ali with his superior quickness and iron clad jaw would beat Sonny Listen every time they boxed.

Sonny boxed 9 more fight winning all but one by knock out before being knocked out himself by Leotis Martin in December 1969. He fought once more defeating Chuck Wepner and afterwards retired.

His unsuspected death December 30, 1970 at the age of either 38 or 40 (his birth date was never established) brought more controversy. The coroner listed the cause of death as a natural death. However, his age and the very good condition of his body made almost everyone doubt that opinion. Some speculated his death was due to a drug overdose others that he was murdered by some mobster that he may have offended. The case was never reopened. As such, Boxings most feared champion laid rest for the final time.

The Age of Gold is about the Gold discovery and the aftermath of it but it also is a history of the state of California. California was seeded to theThe Age of Gold is about the Gold discovery and the aftermath of it but it also is a history of the state of California. California was seeded to the United States after the United States victory in the Mexican American War in 1848. Fortune immediately went to America when James Marshall, who operated a lumber mill, discovered gold dust in his vicinity in Coloma California. Up until 1848 California contained few white people. It was inhabited by mostly Mexican and Native Indian populations. Most Americans do not want to travel to California because at the time it was a dangerous and painful experience to cross the Snowy Mountains in Colorado and the deserts in Utah. They could have encountered hostile Indians, disease, food and water shortages as well.When news of Gold in California hit the east coast and the rest of the world a renewed interest in going to California happened. Foreigners from France, England, South America, Australia, China and many east coast Americans rushed to California attempting to strike it rich finding gold. One such person was John Fremont, he was one who took a team through the heart of the country barely surviving the travel when he finally arrived in California. He wrote of this adventure and became a popular person of the time. So popular in fact that he was California’s first Governor. He was also the first Republican Party nominee in the Republican Party’s history for President in 1854. Most people, including his wife, took a steamship down the Atlantic Ocean to Panama. At Panama, they boarded another ship that took them up the Pacific Ocean to California. This trip was not pleasant as well. Often the ships from the Pacific coast would not show up to pick up the passengers because crews abandoned the ships in California to seek gold. That left scores of people in Panama where malaria and other diseases ran rampart and drove up the cost of the trip. The author follows a few characters throughout the book and introduces a lot of famous people of the 1850s such as Brigham Young, Mark Twain, and William Tecumseh Sherman who had some kind of connection to Gold pursuit or California.HE also explains the audacious attempt of James Gould and Jim Fisk to control the world by attempting to buy up all the available Gold. It appears from reading this book that few people truly produced wealth from Gold mining and many people failed. I am only giving the book 3 stars because I did not follow it as I would have liked to have. It is full of information though, it is good in that way.

“History’s Greatest Decisions” is a nice read breaking up all the stories in short chapters high lighting the important points. He starts with recogni“History’s Greatest Decisions” is a nice read breaking up all the stories in short chapters high lighting the important points. He starts with recognizing groups of people who made great decisions. The first of which is the group which migrated from Africa to inhabit the rest of the world. The plausible explanation for the route the original group took was from Africa through the Bab el Mandeb straight or else they traveled through the Sinai Desert. He also recognizes the Sumerians as the people who first put words on paper. Where their ancient city of Uruk once stood, located in the lower Mesopotamian region, tablets were found dating back to 3400 BC with written words upon them.Now I am going to list some of my favorite individuals in the book.

Ashoka the Great. He is known as one the first rulers to denounce war as means in favor of negotiated settlements. After Ashoka had conquered much of modern India and Afghanistan he became disgusted with war’s terrible consequences. He ruled in peace for 40 years after his conversion and died in 232 BC.

Russia’s “Peter the Great.” After unsuccessfully trying to take the Fort of Azov from the Ottaman’s in 1695 to gain much needed access to the Black Sea, Peter commissioned “The Great Embassy” to travel among the European countries and learn their military and shipping knowledge to instate in Russia. He modeled his Navy after the British and Dutch and Army after the Germans and Swedes. He brought back with him scientists, engineers and architects. He even prescribed that Russians dress like their European neighbors. Then he created one of the World’s most beautiful cities from uninhabitable bog land and named it St Petersburg. Deng Xiaoping. After decades of Chinese economic struggles due to Communism, Deng set out in 1979 to make China a vibrant growing economy. He reorganized the agricultural system allowing family farmers to take over management of their farms and sell excess produce to whomever they wanted to for profit. He restructured the Chinese school system to emphasize science and technology. He also reorganized Chinese industry to produce for exporting goods. He modernized and shrunk the military and separated them from the political arena. After adopting all these capitalist ideas he still declared himself a Communist. He died in 1997 but left China in remarkable economic condition. China now sets, because of Deng’s policies, as the second richest countries in the World right behind the original Capitalist and still the greatest country.

I have to add the rebuilding of Germany after its World War II defeat. The original plan was by Harry Dexter White. He proposed that Germany cede the coal mining region of Upper Silesia to Poland and the industrial Saar Valley to France. In this way Germany could not rearm it's military. What was revealed fortunately though was that Harry Dexter White was a Soviet Spy attempting to make the German economy so bad that Communism would become its savior. As a result Secretary of State George Marshall came up with a multi billion dollar grant and loan program to pay for Germany's rebuilding. This act created a lasting friendship between the United States and Germany,...more

The author points out mistakes or bad choices of important battles throughout history. I will cover just a few battles and the mistake the author of tThe author points out mistakes or bad choices of important battles throughout history. I will cover just a few battles and the mistake the author of the book alerts us to.

WWI The Battle of Tannenberg- 1914 The Czar of Russia appointed two Generals Alexander Samsonov and Pavel Rennenkampf to battle the Kaiser's Germany. That was a big mistake since those two despised each other. This hatred stems from actions in the Russo Japanese war where both were divisional commanders commanding adjacent sectors. When the Japanese attacked Samsonov's sector Rennenkampf stood idle and let it be destroyed. They met coincidently a few days after the battle and wound up having a fist fight over it. Now the two competed for glory with 650,000 troops for Russia and just 135,00 for Germany in trying to beat the German Army. Remmenkampf's Army was able to take eastern Prussia. Meanwhile while Remmenkampf was enjoying his victory the German's used an airplane to conduct and discover that there was a gaping hole between Remmenkamp's Army and Samsonov's Army. So German Army General Hindenburg took the advice of Captain Hoffman who told him about the friction between Russia's two Generals. Then he led the German Army to deliver a crushing blow to Sasonov's Army while (as CPT Hoffman predicted) Remmenkamp stood idle again. Afterwards the Germans proceeded to Remmenkamp's Army and destroyed it as well. Russia was therefore forced to sue for peace losing the war.

The Berlin Wall collapse 1989. After rumblings for more rights in Soviet Occupied countries were festering the Spokesman for the Central Committee for Socialists Deutschland Gunther Schabowski held a press conference. After he praised the accomplishments of socialism he was asked a question by a reporter. The reporter asked, "when will your citizens be allowed to travel freely." Mr. Schabowsk's stunning reply was "they can go wherever they want and nobody will stop them." That set off a mass exit of East Germany through the exits into West Germany. They partied and picked apart the wall that had separated their country for the prior 27 years.

German invasion of Russia 1941 WWII- After fabulous successes take the Germany Army all the way to the gates of Moscow. By October 17th Moscow was completely evacuated fearing the German advance. Then Mother nature came to Russia's aide. Rain drenched the Russian soil making it very difficult for tank traveling. It didn't stop the German Panzer movement but did slow it down. Hitler very unwisely scheduled the attack for November 15th. By then the rain had changed into frost and snow and blanketed the area. The temperature hit record lows going down to minus 30 degrees. The Tanks froze making them immobile. Then German soldier had no winter clothing with them so they were freezing.

At the same time, Soviet Leader Stalin was informed by a spy in Japan that Japan was not going to attack his eastern borders despite Germany wanting them to do so. This allowed Stalin to release troops from Siberia and they attacked the Germans at Moscow. The Germans soon saw (properly outfitted for the weather)thousands of white uniformed Soviets coming upon them. The climate ready trained Soviets pushed the Germans into a retreat and an eventual losing of the war.

If I could give President Jefferson one plank his party was good for it has been American expansionism. Thomas Jefferson was a neighbor and good frienIf I could give President Jefferson one plank his party was good for it has been American expansionism. Thomas Jefferson was a neighbor and good friends with Merriweather Lewis’s father. When Jefferson became President one of the first things he wanted to do was discover what lay west of the original colonies. With this he wanted to find a water route to the pacific, collect species for science, to extend commerce and to make an American claim to the Oregon country. After Napoleon sold the Louisiana Territory to the U.S. Jefferson also wanted to explore this new enclave of possible rich holdings. The author explains why Napoleon had sold Louisiana to the United States. He said Napoleon did not have a military presence to keep off English and Spanish attempts at taking it and it would build American strength by giving it more resources thus becoming an important equal and nemesis to the English.

President John Adams had appointed Federalists to the very small Army the United States had. However Merriweather Lewis was a member of the Army who sided with his father’s friend Thomas Jefferson on most issues. President Jefferson knew this and also knew that Merriweather Lewis was the paymaster for the Army. This meant he traveled to all the Army bases scattered throughout the country to pay its soldiers. President Jefferson realized that Merriweather was aware of the surrounding country and could lead an expedition because of his travel awareness. So President Jefferson summoned Meriwether to the White House and offered him the position to travel the previously unknown world of America.

Jefferson provided Lewis with lots of training beforehand. He had him read his extensive library of maps, nature, animals etc. He also had him go to Philadelphia and be trained by Dr. Benjamin Rush on medicine and in addition trained on longitude and latitude implementation. Lewis contacted an old Army friend to co-lead along with him on the expedition. This man was William Clark. Clark readily agreed. So Lewis left with a cart load of supplies from Philadelphia and met up with Clark at Louisville Kentucky. From Louisville they traveled through modern day states Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, South and North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and finally Washington where they found the Pacific Ocean.

From their travels they collected and introduced to science over 100 new plants including Alkali Cordgrass, American Silverberry, Antelope Aster, Bear grass, Blue huckleberry and Blue Flax. They also discovered many new animals to science including the Aleutian Canada goose, the American Raven, the Prairie dog, Cabanis’s Woodpecker, and the Coyote.

In addition, they met with at least 50 different Indian tribes including the Blackfeet, Chinook, and Pawnee tribes. Lewis convinced many of the tribe’s chiefs to meet with President Jefferson to help foster peaceful trade throughout the west and increase American influence with the tribes. When they got back to Washington Clark left and married a wealthy gorgeous lady while Lewis went to Philadelphia and received a hero’s welcome. He attended Ball after Ball in his honor. He partied hard at these events. He was hounded by President Jefferson and Publisher’s to give them his manuscripts so a book could be made. He floundered in doing so. However, Jefferson appointed him to Governor of Louisiana.

The territory he governed had French, English and Indian tribes as well as Americans trying to make inroads throughout the land. Lewis couldn’t control it. Along with the trouble he had governing he also was trying to recoup money he paid for his trip as he had a mounting debt to repay.

Then to my surprise he traveled to Washington and at overnight rest stop he committed suicide. Stephen Ambrose (the author) explains the many theories to why he committed suicide. One was he reached fame at too early an age and cracked under the pressure, another was his drinking and he made have had syphilis as well. Jefferson surmised that he had hypochondria which led to it. Anyway, neither Jefferson nor Clark was surprised when they found out. A prodigy named Nicholas Biddle was hired to sort out and print Lewis’s correspondence. The book was released in 1814. Not another book was written about their expedition until 90 years later. Lewis and Clark sank unto a relatively unknown adventure. However in 1893, another book came out and their popularity revived to such an extent that they are now considered American Icons.

If you want to learn about the American Revolution this is a very good book to get. The author overviews the 10 most important battles of the War.

TheIf you want to learn about the American Revolution this is a very good book to get. The author overviews the 10 most important battles of the War.

The first major battle was Bunker Hill. Bunker Hill was a major victory for the American psyche. The total Americans killed was 140 and wounded 271 while the British casualties were 1,150 or about 45% of its total force.

The next battle was the Battle of Quebec. It was a loss to the Americans. Americans killed were 60 and the British were just 5.

Starting on August 22, the English gained the upper hand and almost ended the war with a victory. They defeated a Washington led army at Staten Island and Harlem Heights. Washington and most of his army escaped a massacre however the British (under General Howe) went on to capture Fort Washington and Fort Lee.

Howe's Army, under General Cornwallis, had pushed Washington's shadily clad and hungry troupes across the Delaware River settling in Bristol, PA. Washington wisely burned his transfer boats after departing thus stopping Cornwallis's advance. Under extremely cold conditions in middle of December Washington's next move was an intelligent thought out gamble.

Washington had his troupes deploy in three separate river crossings in an attempt to conquer Trenton, NJ which was occupied by Hessian mercenaries fighting for the British. It was Christmas day and Washington presumed the Hessians would be celebrating. He was right because when the Americans hit the Germans were completely caught off guard. It was a stunning American victory. Washington then continued and captured Princeton, NJ which chased the British out of NJ.

A worn down American force tried but lost a battle at Brandywine next.An American force was ambushed at Oriskany, NY but fought there way out of it causing General Burgoyne to fall back to safety in Canada.

Following Oriskany came America's biggest victory at Saratoga, NY. The author points out General Burgoyne's bad luck in his attempt to move through NY. First, he expected 2000 Canadians to support him and only 150 showed up, secondly he expected 2000 more Indians for support and got just 400. And he was disillusioned into believing he would muster a lot of loyal Tories to help. He also had to travel through a very wooded NY.

For the Americans, General Schuyler had laid down a scorched earth policy. He had trees blocking roads and farms ruined to delay Burgoyne's advance. He was then replaced(for some odd reason) by General Horatio Gates. Gates had luck on his side. First, his army reached 7000 due to the Indian (which fought aside the British)scalping of a 25 year old woman named Jane McCrea that caused an uproar of patriotic fervor.

When English troupes were noticed snaking through the woods Benedict Arnold led an attack and routed them. While Arnold won the battle he also delayed a British retreat and the large American force was able to surround the English. This forced Burgoyne to capitulate. The Americans took 5721 prisoners and many weapons. The victory convinced France, Spain and Holland to openly join the American cause.

A Patriot victory at King's Mountain,SC followed chasing Cornwallis out of North Carolina.

But what followed at Cowpens,SC was a stunning American victory. The British had lost their entire 820 man force captured while America had just 12 killed.

After Cowpens, Cornwallis decided he needed to capture General Greene's Army. General Greene led him on a wild goose chase through the south and finally stopped to battle him at Guilford Courthouse. This is where America laid another devastating defeat on the British.

After this last defeat, Cornwallis stationed his Army in Wilmington, Delaware however he decided to move it to Yorktown Virginia. That is when Washington and the French put together the grand plan of attacking. The combined American and French troupes marched toward Yorktown while the French Navy blockaded the Atlantic Ocean exit. After America delivering a 3 pronged attack and had Cornwallis trapped from escaping he surrendered. 6000 British Soldiers were taken prisoner. The British still held New York but they still gave up on a lost cause and finally granted American Independence.

Roman history is well documented and this book does a great job of retelling their superb history. Marius the retired Military hero is appointed commaRoman history is well documented and this book does a great job of retelling their superb history. Marius the retired Military hero is appointed commander to fight Rome’s enemy Mithridates. This angered his former deputy Sulla who had campaigned for that job. Sulla then challenged Marius for the job which caused a civil war in Rome. Unfortunately Marius died before he could campaign. Without his leadership Sulla’s forces defeated the remainder of Marius’s soldiers. Then he marched on Rome and became its dictator.

Sulla established peace with Mithridates, in the kingdom of Pontus, but made a list of proscriptions and exterminated most of his enemies. He is not regarded as a great Roman Ruler due to his extreme violence and his unpopular and peculiar relaxation activities. And he was the first Military leader to march on Rome itself in Rome’s history. He does one remarkable thing, however,he retired and relinquished his power then returned to his odd behavioral ways. The republic was afterward reestablished.

The author points out the mindset of the Roman people. Ambition was their number one goal. They viewed sex as a weakness. They were xenophobic. Winning was everything and the path to glory was winning wars.

Pompey rode this subscription to its highest level. He ran a spectacular string of successes in Spain and took credit for ending Spartacus’s slave revolt. When the Senate decided to try to stop the Pirate harassment of Roman citizens, which had grown substantially over the decade, they called on Pompey. He miraculously wiped out the Pirates in just 3 months. He was then sent to take care of Roman’s greatest enemy Mithridates. He easily defeated him and continued into Syria and Judea making them Roman satellites. No Roman general had accomplished so much. In all, 243 countries came under Rome rule due to Pompey. He was given the title “Great” because of these accomplishments.

However, there were two other men seeking similar glory in the midst. The first was Crassus, Rome’s wealthiest man. The other was Julius Caesar. Caesar won a high office due to his great charisma and paying for votes. From this position he was able to secure a part in a triumvirate along with Pompey and Crassus which ruled Rome. While serving as part of the triumvirate he was appointed as governor of Gaul. This is where he met his first test of his military greatness by soundly defeating a united Gallic force. He then moved through Germany and built a bridge to cross into England and occupy Britain by defeating a Celtic Army. It was the first time in history that a foreign enemy invaded Great Britain.

Back in Rome, the Senate feared Caesar’s accomplishment’s called him back to face charges of illegal military actions. Caesar calculated that the Senate was out to get him, gathered his troupes and assembled them at the Rubicon. The Senate sensed Caesar’s intentions called on Pompey the Great for Rome’s defense. As Caesar troupes moved at an accelerated pace Pompey left Rome to assemble troupes to battle and end Caesar’s ambitions. Caesar finally met Pompey at Pharsalus where his army routed Pompey’s. Pompey fled to Egypt but rather than the great hero receiving safety, he is murdered. Caesar entered Egypt finding Egypt in the midst of a political power struggle. Cleopatra, in exile, was snuggled in a blanket then rolled out in front of Caesar. She seduced Caesar. Caesar next took a long deserved vacation, after he reestablished Cleopatra as Egypt’s ruler, by taking a boat ride down the Nile River.

The Romans were not happy about Caesar’s love affair with Cleopatra. He returned, with Cleopatra, to a shattered and crumbled Rome. The Senate gave him a 10 year period of dictatorship recognizing his brilliance. Caesar, forgave his enemies, provided land to his troops, granted citizenship to disenfranchised citizens and commissioned rebuilding of Rome’s great architecture.

However, the Ides of March 44 BC the great Julius Caesar was stabbed 23 times by among 60 enemies including men named Casca and Brutus.

Afterwards Rome capitulated into another civil war. Caesar’s Lieutenant Mark Anthony crushed the murderers. But Caesar’s heir made claims to succeed his great Uncle Julius Caesar. Octavian and Antony agree to joint rule for a while. As Antony relished in power his relationship with Octavian strained until they finally went to war. Octavian won a fairly easy war therefore becoming Rome’s undisputed ruler. In Rome he was entitled as Augustus. Augustus ruled for 40 years of peace and prosperity and a happy Rome strived.

The great financiers who emerged as the Capitalist juggernauts of our history are discussed. It starts with the smartest man ever to grace the contineThe great financiers who emerged as the Capitalist juggernauts of our history are discussed. It starts with the smartest man ever to grace the continental United States Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton intuitively knew that a Capitalist economy would lead to great prosperity. He learned this as he saw a farming community in Barbados languish in poverty and read Adam Smith’s influential book “The Wealth of Nations.”

When the Great George Washington was unanimously voted into America as its first President he quickly asked Hamilton to plan the economy. Washington, albeit a surveyor and farmer himself, knew from his experience running the war that an agrarian economy would not sustain a government. Hamilton’s plan was for a National Bank with 12 regional banks that could provide credit to needed business. And for the government assuming the debt of the States they incurred during the Revolutionary War.

Thomas Jefferson opposed Hamilton’s program and formed the Democratic Republican party after Washington relinquished the presidency and retired. Jefferson and his followers (Madison and Monroe) agreed with the Monticello Sage. However, each found that the National Bank was a needed instrument when the government needed money.

The Jefferson gang left their vision to a man that was much tougher than they in the 7th President Andrew Jackson. The National Bank charter expired in 1836, President Jackson vetoed its reauthorization and the bank vanquished. The killing of the national Bank led to a financial panic and Depression inherited mainly by Jackson’s successor Martin Van Buren due to local banks freedom to over extend causing the Banks to go insolvent.

The next Money man discussed is Jay Cooke. When President Lincoln needed money to finance the Civil War he relied on an income tax, the Legal Tender Act which made paper money non-redeemable for gold. This did not amount to enough money to fund the war. So Salmon Chase, Lincolns’ Treasury Security, turned to Cooke for help. Cook engineered what was called Five-twenty bonds. This meant that the bonds can be called in 5 years and matured in 20. They also paid a handsome 6 percent. Cooke advertised heavily for these bonds. He received a letter from a man with questions he had about the bonds. He answered each question in laymen terms. The man was so impressed that he sent the letter to the local paper and it spread across the North. This made his bonds more popular than anyone could have dreamed of and provided the needed funding for the North. In a second fund raising effort for the Union Cause Cooke came up with the “seven-thirties’ bond. This was named for its high interest payments of 7.30% Again he marketed these heavily and had much success.

The next Money Men discussed were Jay Gould, Daniel Drew and James Fisk. The trio gradually bought up stock of the Erie Railroad with borrowed money. After America’s richest man, Cornelius Vanderbilt put an end to their attempted take over the trio turned to Gold. They next followed the increased and decreased price of gold. They bought when low and sold when high and amassed a fortune doing so. Gould was called to Congress to explain the effects of Gold prices on the economy. Gould explained that Gold prices at 40 to 45 would produce the best economy for America.

The final Money Man discussed is the American Banking Giant JP Morgan. When investor’s grew nervous after learning the federal governments gold reserves fell to just over $100 million in 1894 they sprinted to the Treasury to redeem their notes in gold pieces. This caused a panic. President Cleveland did not know how to stop it. So he called on JP Morgan who told him to issue a $100 million bond float and he personally would run the float. His actions rescued the treasury.

When the New York Stock exchange ran out of money they appealed to JP who summoned all the bank presidents to his office and secured 27 million from them to save the Stock market.When the public made yet another run on the banks President Theodore Roosevelt again called on Morgan. He told the President if people would keep their money in the bank everything would work out. So he ordered the larger banks to accept scrip (which are IOU’s) to smaller banks to keep them solvent. When the public realized that they would not lose money because of this, the crises resolved.

The public appreciated JP Morgan’s saving of America’s financial condition but still feared that when he passed on that no one would be capable to do the job of what this private citizen could do. In response, the Federal Reserve was created so the government had control over the financial sector. In effect, it is another version of Hamilton’s National Bank. And just as Hamilton’s original National Bank had its critics so now does the Federal Reserve. ...more

Woodrow Wilson our 28th President started his career out as a lawyer but quickly moved out of that business to get a doctorate degree in history and pWoodrow Wilson our 28th President started his career out as a lawyer but quickly moved out of that business to get a doctorate degree in history and politics. After college he taught at the all-women’s college Bryn Mawr. He later moved to Wesleyan College to teach and finally to Princeton University. At Princeton he became the most popular and respected professor. Also at Princeton he published numerous articles and essays including a biography of George Washington. He became a hugely popular Speaker; so popular in fact that Princeton named him their Sesquicentennial orator. Then in 1902 Wilson was elected President of Princeton. As head of the University, Wilson created the modern College system which is still used to this day in order to garner a more rounded student.

Wilson was then tapped by New Jersey Democratic Party boss “Sugar” Jim Smith to run for Governor of New Jersey. He won the race for Govern and instituted progressive policies. In less than a year as Governor he was promoted by State Legislator Joseph Tumulty and newspaper man William Bayard Hale to run for the Presidency. He easily wins the Democratic nomination due to his electric speaking skills. Then luck went his way when former President Teddy Roosevelt entered the race on the Bull Moose Ticket. TR pulled votes away from sitting President William Howard Taft and Wilson pulled out a victory with 42% of the vote going his way.

President Wilson had a fairly good first term He enacted tariff reduction, banking regulations, antitrust legislation, beneficial farmer-labour enactments, and highway construction using state grants-in-aid.

However, President Wilson pushed for the graduated income tax raising the top rate from 2 % to 13%. It would rise to an incredible 67% before he left office. He also allowed Rail Road, Postal and Treasury department employees to segregate causing Jim Crow laws to flourish in Northern Areas for the first time.

He narrowly won a 2nd term beating Charles Evan Hughes by obtaining California’s electoral votes. He won primarily on the promise that he kept America out of War. He then broke his promise and drug us in to defend England who was on the verge of losing the war.

The author claims that patriotism abounded in support of the war with negating the fact that the Sedition and Espionage Act scared American citizens particularly those of German descent into a forced support of the War. President Wilson immediately proclaimed all German citizens “alien enemies.” In fact, German/Americans were barred from living near military facilities or airports, in all port towns and in the nation's capital. They had to disclose their bank accounts and any other property to an Alien Property Custodian appointed by the attorney general. German/Americans were the largest group of immigrants into America. Irish were second largest and most of them were very anti English. It also allowed for Postal employees to read peoples mail and arrest them for violations of the law. People could not show an ounce of disloyalty without risk of jail.

Woodrow Wilson is famous for his 14 points. I am going to go over which ones he failed on.

Point 2. Free navigation of all seas. In fact England obtained all Germany’s ships and they were once again masters of the seas.Point 3. An end to all economic barriers between countries produced, in fact, economic barriers which became a method of punishing other countriesPoint 8. France should be fully liberated and allowed to recover Alsace-Lorraine, Alsace Lorraine became a major point in Hitler’s retaliation against France.Point 10. Self-determination should be allowed for all those living in Austria-Hungary. He didn’t hold Italy to this giving Italy the German speaking Tyrol as a prize. He also allowed France control of Syria and Lebanon and England in control of Iraq and Palestine. Point 14 was his pride and joy, the League of Nations. He became obsessed with the Senate passing it. He made a grave mistake of not allowing amendments to it that would let the Republicans share in its predicted peace making. And it failed to become law.

To sum up President Wilson he was an egotistical man who banished long term friends for disagreeing with him. He was mildly racist as well. But more importantly, the country saw their taxes rise substantially, inflation gripped the country, and lynching’s rose to 83. A recession gripped the country as he left office. And his authorship of the Treaty of Versailles produced long term dire consequences that the world was forced to swallow in the 20th Century.

1927 has to be one of the most fascinating years in American history. Americans were rich and hungered for celebrities. The first celebrity status was1927 has to be one of the most fascinating years in American history. Americans were rich and hungered for celebrities. The first celebrity status was thrown on to an unwillingly participant Charles Lindbergh. His flight across the Atlantic made him the most famous man in the world. Wherever he would fly huge crowds would await to see him. In fact, his appearance at the National Mall in Washington D.C attracted the largest crowd to ever gather there.

Also, Babe Ruth changed Baseball by producing more home runs than anyone else had. In 1927 Ruth set a record by hitting 60 homeruns in one season. He along with first basemen Lou Gehrig led the Yankees to a 110 win season and a sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series. This team is generally regarded as baseball’s greatest team.

1927 also saw one of boxings most memorable happenings. Boxing heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey lost his title to relatively unknown but talented former light heavyweight champion Gene Tunney. In the much anticipated rematch what is known as “the long count” occurred. Dempsey, after being badly beaten through the 7th round of the fight, landed a vicious hook on Tunney’s jaw. Tunney dropped but the referee refused to count until Dempsey moved to a neutral corner. This gave Tunney extra recovery time and on the count of nine he stood up continued the fight and easily outpointed Dempsey to retain the title.

Henry Ford is described as a bungler in the book. He stopped production of his famed Model T automobile in 1927 to produce a new model called the Model A. However, he closed all production of the Model T before he even started production of the Model A. This allowed General Motors to overtake Ford Sales, a status it never relinquished. In one of the Ford’s other foolish moves he established a community in the jungles of Brazil modeled after a typical American community in order to produce his own rubber cheaply for Ford tires. The very harsh conditions caused this ridiculous effort to fail and wasted millions of dollars of Ford’s money.

A secret meeting was held in New York of the world’s banking leaders Hjalmar Scacht of Germany, Benjamin Strong Americas New York’s Federal Reserve Chairman, Montagu Norman of England and Charles Rist of France met and decided to lower interest rates which inflated the stock market and according to the author indirectly led to the crash that occurred later.

I admire the American ingenuity and brilliance of the people of the 1920’s. However there were plenty of crack pots as well. For example, a man known as Shipwreck Kelly would climb to the top of a flag pole and just sit there in what was appropriately known as flag pole sitting. A more sinister man by the name of Wayne Wheeler headed the Anti Saloon league. He insisted that alcohol be denatured which made it poisonous, and blurted that “those who drank it and died deserved what they got.”

A more shocking event occurred in a Supreme Court Ruling. In an 8 to 1 ruling the Court decided that Carrie Buck was of such “feeble mind" that she should be sterilized. Remarkably this court possessed such giants of the day as Oliver Wendell Holmes, former President William Howard Taft and liberal icon Louis Brandeis. The only dissent came from Justice Pierce Butler. This ruling gave the states the right to perform surgery on healthy people against their will.

I could go on with story after story but this review would be too large then so I will leave it this. I will just end this with this book was fantastic. ...more

George Washington’s Secret Six is an incredible story of six spy’s who helped win the American Revolution. Benjamin Tallmadge was in charge of formingGeorge Washington’s Secret Six is an incredible story of six spy’s who helped win the American Revolution. Benjamin Tallmadge was in charge of forming the spy ring because of his vast knowledge of English held Long island territory. He formed an expert spy ring with the following people:Abraham Woodhull had business dealings throughout Manhattan which allowed him unmolested British passage and unsuspected message delivery to the Americans. Robert Townsend owned Templeton and Stewart, a business on an important route, along the spy ring.Austin Roe owned a tavern where many Tory and British soldiers congregated. Here, he would overhear many British plans.Caleb Brewster was a longshoreman responsible for ferrying messages between Connecticut and New York.James Rivington was probably the most important member however because he was the publisher of the Royalist newspaper “Rivington Gazette.” There he would gather military information by interviewing British officers. The British never caught on to his American sympathies. Rivington was responsible for acquiring the British battle plan for Yorktown which ended the war with an incredible American victory. Finally, there was a woman known as Agent 355 who used womanly charm to obtain information from British soldiers. The Rings other major contributions to the war was capturing British Spy, John Andre, and obtaining Benedict Arnold’s plan to hand over West Point to the British....more

Cleopatra began what was known of her reign in the year 51 BC. After being deposed by her brother, she was reinstated as the Egyptian Queen by a conquCleopatra began what was known of her reign in the year 51 BC. After being deposed by her brother, she was reinstated as the Egyptian Queen by a conquering Julius Caesar in 48 BC. After pleading her case to him and using her charm to seduce him she was free to rule Egypt unmolested. Unfortunately, Rome deteriorated into a Civil war after Caesars’s assignation. Caesar’s top general Mark Antony and his adopted son and nephew Octavian combined forces to defeat Caesar’s killer’s Cassius and Brutus at the Battle of Philippi. Afterwards, the victors formed the Second Triumvirate where Octavian governed Rome. Antony governed the East and a partner named Lepidus governed the Hispania provinces.In 41 B.C, Cleopatra paid Antony a visit in Tarsus where he was stationed. She arrived dressed as Venus, the Roman goddess of Love, and successfully lured Antony to her residence in Alexandria where Antony enjoyed the riches of her empire. Despite Antony’s attraction for Cleopatra, he left Alexandria and headed back to Rome to marry Octavian’s beautiful sister Octavia in an attempt to strengthen his relationship with Octavian. However, after his marriage Antony arranged for Cleopatra to meet him in Syria on his return to rule the Eastern Provence.Antony failed to console Octavian and tensions grew. Antony also became unpopular in Rome due to his relationship with Cleopatra. As the Second Triumvirate formally expired on the last day of 33 BC, Octavian became determined to gain sole leadership of Rome and her provinces. Accusations led to building up of alliances and in 31 BC Octavian declared war on Antony. The battle of Actium occurred in September of 31. The author of the book, Amity Shales, cleverly surmised that Mark Antony’s decision to pursue a battle at sea rather than on land was because he had been witness to Pompey the Great’s disastrous decision to challenge Caesar’s Army on land rather than force him to fight at Sea where Pompey had an advantage. However, Octavian’s ships broke through Antony and Cleopatra’s forces. Cleopatra correspondently fled with a retinue of her ships back to Alexandria. When Antony saw this he also fled leaving some of his own troops in his wake to be captured. Octavian was not satisfied with just winning this decisive battle. He next invaded Egypt. As Antony prepared to be captured he heard erroneously that Cleopatra had committed suicide. On that news, he threw himself on his sword and died. In the year 30, Cleopatra also committed suicide most likely by poison not an asp bite.It should be noted that during Cleopatra’s reign Egypt was the richest nation on earth which is the main reason that Rome was so interested in her. ...more

I just couldn’t get into this book. I took long breaks from it choosing to read my World Almanac in its place. I gave it 3 stars just because someoneI just couldn’t get into this book. I took long breaks from it choosing to read my World Almanac in its place. I gave it 3 stars just because someone else may not experience what I did. I think I need a more comprehensive and chronological history of England to delve into. ...more

The Forgotten Man is a very interesting book. I found it fascinating that liberalism of the 1930’s stemmed from the former Soviet Union’s communism. IThe Forgotten Man is a very interesting book. I found it fascinating that liberalism of the 1930’s stemmed from the former Soviet Union’s communism. In the 1920’s a group of academics and union men traveled to visit Stalin and Trotsky. Stalin welcomed them and put on an impressive show for them. They left Soviet Russia convinced of its superiority. The academics included Rex Tugwell (of Columbia University), Paul Douglas (of the University of Chicago), Stuart Chase and John Brophy. These men were very influential in Franklin Roosevelt’s political development.To solve the Depression FDR tried experimenting with the economy. He unwisely never listened to a former President Calvin Coolidge’s advice to leave the economy alone. FDR was brilliant in diplomacy but not so in economics. Most of what he proposed was overturned by the Supreme Court. He unwisely tried to implement a court packing scheme in order to have his policies passed. It turned not only a lot of his current Supreme Court but some of the public against him. He was fortunate that he outlived some of the Justices. So he was able to appoint like minded judges that passed some of his programs.FDR used dirty tricks to divert the nation from a bad economy. One tactic was to persecute the rich and successful of the 1920’s. One such person was Sam Insull who was responsible for electrifying Chicago. He created the first use of electricity in the country. FDR’s team searched for anyway possible to find a law violation by their intended target. Mr. Insull was forced to flee the country in order to avoid an unfair prosecutorial terror by the Roosevelt team. They did pay him a backhanded compliment by copying his system and using it in the Tennessee Valley Authority public electrification of the South. In fact the TVA’s director David Lilienthal became so powerful that he challenged other private power producers. Wendell Willkie was one such person. Willkie ran a very successful power company. He was one of those unique people that never angered and seemed impossible for him to make enemies. It is the same skill that President Warren Harding also had. The year followed by the same year’s unemployment rate and the Dow Jones Industrial Average follows directly under the name of the chapter after each chapter. It starts with 1927 where the unemployment rate was just 3.3% and the Dow Jones Industrial average was 155. In 1929 the unemployment rate grew to just under 5% but the Dow Jones also grew to 343. In 1931 the unemployment rate skyrocketed to just 17.4% and the Dow Jones dropped to 140. In 1933 the unemployment rate grew to a whopping 22.9 % and the Dow Jones dropped to lowly 93. 1934 saw a slight drop in the unemployment rate to 21.2 % while the Dow rose slightly to 100. In 1935 the unemployment rate rose slightly again to 21.3% but the Dow also slightly rose to 119. 1936 however showed a decrease in unemployment to 15.3% while the Dow also increased to 182. 1937 also improved slightly with a 15% unemployment rate and a Dow at 179. However the economy dipped again in 1937 with a 15.1 % unemployment rate but the Dow staggered at 179. And in 1938 unemployment rose again to 17.4% while the Dow dropped to 121. 1940 showed a slight improvement with a lower unemployment rate of 14.6% and a higher Dow of 151. So, if you compare FDR’s economy in 1940 to President Coolidge’s economy explained in the 1927 data you see a much better economic picture when the economy flourished under Coolidge.Interestingly enough that FDR’s Japanese Interment camps never harmed FDR’s status among historians. In fact, Roosevelt hired Dorothea Lange to photograph the camps under The War Relocation Authority. Her team produced 13,000 photographs which horrified her and her husband so much that they drafted letters to explain the injustice for Roosevelt. The photos were impounded and just recently released.

Here is a list of New Deal programs:Agricultural Adjustment Act AAA 1933 Protected farmers from price drops by providing crop subsidies to reduce production, educational programs to teach methods of preventing soil erosion. Civil Works Administration CWA 1933 Provided public works jobs at $15/week to four million workers in 1934. Civilian Conservation Corps CCC 1933 Sent 250,000 young men to work camps to perform reforestation and conservation tasks. Removed surplus of workers from cities, provided healthy conditions for boys, provided money for families. Federal Emergency Relief Act FERA 1933 Distributed millions of dollars of direct aid to unemployed workers. Glass-Steagall Act FDIC 1933 Created federally insured bank deposits ($2500 per investor at first) to prevent bank failures. National Industrial Recovery Act NIRA 1933 Created NRA to enforce codes of fair competition, minimum wages, and to permit collective bargaining of workers. National Youth Administration NYA 1935 Provided part-time employment to more than two million college and high school students. Public Works Administration PWA 1933 Received $3.3 billion appropriation from Congress for public works projects. Rural Electrification Administration REA 1935 Encouraged farmers to join cooperatives to bring electricity to farms. Despite its efforts, by 1940 only 40% of American farms were electrified. Securities and Exchange Commission SEC 1934 Regulated stock market and restricted margin buying. Social Security Act 1935 Response to critics (Dr. Townsend and Huey Long), it provided pensions, unemployment insurance, and aid to blind, deaf, disabled, and dependent children. Tennessee Valley Authority TVA 1933 Federal government build series of dams to prevent flooding and sell electricity. First public competition with private power industries Wagner Act NLRB 1935 Allowed workers to join unions and outlawed union-busting tactics by management. Works Progress Administration WPA 1935 Employed 8.5 million workers in construction and other jobs, but more importantly provided work in arts, theater, and literary projects.

I have always been fascinated with the cabinet members of the presidencies of the 1920’s. They were a group of superstars. President Harding and CooliI have always been fascinated with the cabinet members of the presidencies of the 1920’s. They were a group of superstars. President Harding and Coolidge shared Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes. Hughes was a former Governor and Supreme Court Justice. They also shared Andrew Mellon. Mellon was the banking giant who understood the American economy and the world’s economy. Coolidge’s vice president was Charles Dawes. Dawes served as America’s Controller of Currency which charters, regulates, and supervises national banks and thrift institutions as well as federal branches and agencies of foreign banks in the United States. He was also awarded the Nobel Peace prize for authoring the WWI reparation payments. In addition, he is the author of a song entitled “Melody in A Major” which became a number one hit song in 1958 under the title “It’s All in the Game.”

Herbert Hoover who was known as “The Great Engineer” was given the Commerce Secretary Job. Hoover was already a celebrity. During WWI, he organized a relief effort which in just six weeks helped 120,000 American tourists return to the United States. At the conclusion of WWI, he was the head of the American Relief Administration. In this position he organized shipments of food saving millions in central Europe from starvation.

Most of these formable public people were picked by President Warren Harding. Harding comes off in this book as someone special. He inherited a dismal economy. He instituted the first part of Treasury Secretary Mellon’s scientific tax cutting plan and the economy recovered. He possessed a great gift of being universally likeable.

President Harding also broke the tradition of the vice president not attending cabinet meetings.

On to President Calvin Coolidge, Ms. Shales lays out his accomplishments in the very beginning of the book. She then proceeds to lay out Calvin Coolidge’s entire life. Calvin was a classic introvert. He would however focus on making speeches at Amherst College in Massachusetts and proceeded to get a law degree. Afterwards, he led a successful law business. He then campaigned and won a variety of political offices until he managed to obtain the Governorship of Massachusetts, this where he made his name. When Boston Police went on strike chaos ensued in the streets. Violence took hold of Boston. Governor Coolidge responded expeditiously hiring new policeman which immediately quelled the violence. His quick successful decision made him a hero in all the major newspapers.

At the 1920 Republican nominating convention Coolidge gained a ground swell of support to be the Republican nominee for President. Warren Harding however had a brilliant manager named Harry Daugherty who garnered support for Harding plus Harding’s likeable magnetism led to his victory and ultimately to the Presidency. Coolidge as one of the most popular nominees at the convention was an easy choice for vice –president. After sitting in on cabinet meetings Coolidge became close with the great team of cabinet members, particularly Andrew Mellon.

Harding surprisingly died in 1923. As a result, Coolidge ascended into the presidency.

He served as President for sixty seven months from August 1923 to March 1929. Under his watch the federal debt fell, the top income tax rate dropped to 25%, the federal budget was always in surplus and the unemployment rate was a miserly 3 %. Modern conveniences also made their first appearances. Electricity first entered American homes, air flight became popular for the first time, and cars made their way into American lives.

Coolidge worked closely with a man named Herbert Lord to cut government spending. He turned down almost all requests for federal program aid including building dams, creating roads and pensions for service members. He also worked with Andrew Mellon to bring down income tax rates.

Coolidge remained very popular during most of his presidency. After all, he had a booming economy, the world was at relative peace and the government was gaining surpluses while the public’s taxes were lowered.

He commissioned the creation of Mount Rushmore and refused, despite the instance by sculptor Gutzon Borglum, to have his face alongside Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, and Roosevelt. However, his popularity increased in South Dakota and the rest of the Western United States because of his visit.

His popularity waned a little near the end of his presidency. The Mississippi River had over-flowed and caused massive damage to the state of Mississippi and surrounding states in 1927. The affected States asked for Federal aid. Coolidge flatly refused, believing it was a State not Federal issue. Shortly afterward, Coolidge’s home state of Vermont had a massive flood. Again requests for federal aid came in. But once again, President Coolidge remained consistent and turned down the aid request.

Coolidge’s final year in office was 1928. 1928 brought a great accomplishment which unfortunately did not withstand the test of time. Coolidge and, his second Secretary of State, Frank Kellogg ushered in the Kellogg-Briand Pact. This treaty was signed by the United States and fifteen other nations. It outlaws war as a means to settle disputes, substituting diplomacy and world opinion for armed conflict. Eventually it was signed by 62 other nations.

He interestingly retired into the role of a syndicated newspaper columnist where he would give political analysis and warn his successor, Herbert Hoover, of the danger of his tax and spend policies to the economy.

Shortly before he died he warned again that federal spending would not solve, what would become, the Great Depression. He cited how Grover Cleveland’s depression was shortened due to his refusal to spend....more

This book about our 9th President William Henry Harrison is a short but thorough biography.William was born February 9, 1773 in Berkeley Plantation inThis book about our 9th President William Henry Harrison is a short but thorough biography.William was born February 9, 1773 in Berkeley Plantation in Virginia into a prominent family.His father served as Virginia Governor.

At age 14 he attended Presbyterian Hampden-Sydney College. He became well versed in French and Latin. He moved to Philadelphia later to study Medicine under renowned doctor Benjamin Rush after leaving Hampden-Sydney College.

Harrison’s father passed away leaving William without money. Governor Henry Lee of Virginia took him under his guidance and persuading him to join the Army. He was assigned under Mad Anthony Wayne where he absorbed a tremendous amount of military knowledge.

He resigned from the Army in 1797 and was appointed as Secretary of the Northwest Territory by his close friend Secretary of the State Timothy Pickering. He then ran a very successful horse breeding business. And off of that he was able to win the election for the first delegate to represent the North West Territory. As a delegate he couldn’t vote on bills but could submit legislation. He successfully submitted the Harrison land Act. This act allowed land to be sold in small parcels making it easier for the average citizen to purchase land.

The North West Territory was divided in to Ohio and Indiana in 1800. President Adams nominated Harrison to be its Governor. After being confirmed, he resigned from congress and assumed the Governorship of Indiana. He moved his family to Vincennes, Indiana. Form this position President Jefferson granted him authority to negotiate and conclude treaties with the Indians.

The main part of his job as Governor was to obtain Native American lands through negotiated treaties. This helped to allow American expansion westward. He negotiated 13 treaties which turned over 60,000,000 acres of land to America.

However, these negotiations caused resentment among the tribes. So in August of 1810 Indian warrior leader Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa led four hundred armed warriors down the Wabash to meet with Harrison at Vincennes in an attempt to renegotiate to no avail.

While Harrison took an army to try to intimidate the Shawnee tribe into making peace his army was surprised attacked by Tecumseh on November 6 1811 at the Wabash and Tippecanoe rivers. Harrison troops outnumbered the Indian tribes and he won a decisive victory.

When the War of 1812 broke out he was made commander of the Army of the Northwest. As commander he defeated British/ Indian contingents in Indiana and Ohio then recaptured Detroit from the British. He continued into Canada and stunningly defeated the British at the Battle of Thames. This is the battle where Tecumseh was killed. The battle of Thames is regarded as the second greatest American victory of the War of 1812. Only the battle of New Orleans is deemed more important to America’s victory.

After his very successful Military career he served one term in congress then was appointed minister to Columbia. There he called on Simon Bolivar to institute democracy. He was replaced when Andrew Jackson became president. He retired to North Bend Ohio where he grew corn and opened a whiskey distillery. He soon gave that business up because he did not like the effect it had on his customers.

When the Whig party needed a candidate William Henry Harrison was recruited due to his very popular War hero status in 1840. He was the first candidate to actively campaign. His slogan “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too” is one of the most famous American politics sayings. An opposition democratic newspaper, in an attempt to dismiss him, said “Give him a barrel of hard cider and a pension of two thousand…he will sit the remainder of his days.” This backfired as he took on the moniker of “the log cabin and hard cider” candidate.

Unfortunately for President Van Buren the economy slipped into depression making it easy for Harrison to become the next president.

As President, Harrison promised to reestablish the National Bank, extend credit by issuing paper money, to allow congress to make the laws sparingly using his veto power, and reverse Andrew Jacksons spoils system of patronage.

He took the oath for president on March 4, 1841 and in an extremely cold and wet day he gave his inaugural speech. He wore neither a coat nor a hat and his speech lasted nearly two hours. To my surprise, it appears that he did not develop pneumonia and die because of this. In fact he did not get sick to three weeks later. On March 26 a cold he had worsened turning to pneumonia and pleurisy and he died.

He has the unfortunate distinction of serving the shortest time of any American President. It was just 30 days twelve hours and 30 minutes.

Benjamin Harrison is the 23rd President of the United States from 1889 to 1893. His early career and family background helped him accelerate to a poliBenjamin Harrison is the 23rd President of the United States from 1889 to 1893. His early career and family background helped him accelerate to a political thunderbolt.

He started out as a lawyer in Indianapolis. While there he developed great writing skills and idea laced inspiring speeches. He also was the grandson of the hero of Tippecanoe. America’s 9th President William Henry Harrison. Old Tippecanoe was still fresh and very popular in the minds of Midwesterners in the 1880s.

When the Civil War broke out in 1861 Benjamin quickly joined the cause. He raised troops and was appointed to the rank of General. As a military leader he found that he had a natural ability to lead men. And he participated bravely in many battles. In fact, he participated in more battles in one month than his much publicized grandfather had in his entire military career.

President Harrison’s accomplishments:

He created of a postal subsidy which paid steamships to carry mail to overseas locations. This helped foster trade.

He also trumpeted and signed the Forest Reserve Act which set aside 13 million acres of nationally dedicated Forests.

Signed a Reciprocal tariff where the U.S. and a trading partner could grant equally advantageous trade concessions to each other.

He strongly supported the federal supervision of all congressional elections to protect recently freed slaves right to vote. However they were rejected numerous times by the congress.

He protected pelagic seals off the coast of Alaska from Canadian and British fisherman by threatening to use American force. This act preserved a healthy seal population into the 20th Century.

He signed legislation to provide pensions to Civil War veterans unable to work and widowers of war veterans.

He governed over the annexation of Hawaii at the very end of his term. However the Senate chose to wait until President Cleveland was sworn in to ratify.

Where he failed was at playing the political patronage game that was required at the time. Instead of hiring people that the local bosses offered, he hired people according to the quality of the individual. It alienating the people that helped him win the presidency in particular New York’s boss Thomas Platt and Pennsylvania’s political operative Mathew Qyay.

There are a number of reasons why he lost reelection despite a vibrant economy and peace. First, the lack of support lost to his mishandling of patronage as mentioned earlier. Second, silver currency proponents sprung up in the West because of large recent Silver discoveries there and the President was an opponent of Silver currency. Third, his ardent support for black civil rights frightened southerners. Fourth, worker strikes broke out in various locations which left an indication that despite higher wages things still were not good.

Most importantly however was that his wife had contracted tuberculosis a few months before the election. President Harrison spent this entire time caring for his wife. This prevented him from campaigning which was one of his great skills.

My opinion of President Benjamin Harrison is that he was a very good President and an even better man. ...more

This book is quite a riveting book. The name of the book describes exactly what you might expect it to contain. “Extraordinary Popular Delusions and tThis book is quite a riveting book. The name of the book describes exactly what you might expect it to contain. “Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds” provides a list of history’s ridiculous schemes, fantasies, prophesies witchcraft, faith healers and more. The author then debunks the delusions by citing the proof that was published at the time of the delusion.

I will list a few a few of the stories I liked best.

The first chapter teaches us about a Scottish character named John Law. Mr. Law canvassed European leaders to accept an economic plan to use paper currency as opposed to the metal coinage used at the time. It took him a while but he finally found sympathetic ears in France who was experiencing, at the time, a chaotic economy. Law instituted his scheme and it worked like a charm. The economy recovered (mostly because the King allowed Law to control it). Law kept the currency steady and that revived the French economy. Afterwards, he became well respected financier.

With this respect behind him he unlaunched a devious grand plan. He sold paper certificates that proved ownership of a section of the Mississippi River (which was under French control in the 17th Century). He previously told the public that the banks of the river contained diamonds, gold and other precious metals. These paper certificates became so popular that a buying frenzy occurred with people bidding higher and higher to own one. Unfortunately, the truth hit France and the certificates became worthless, causing many to go bankrupt. With this event Mr. Law floundered to just a footnote in history.

Another fascinating tale is the work of the 17th and 18th alchemists. The alchemists told of how they discovered the philosopher’s stone which gave them the ability to turn base metals into gold. Many alchemists used this trick to swindle wealthy ignorant citizens and leaders of much of Europe into funding their alchemist trade in hopes of receiving gold in return. One trick of the alchemist was revealed in this book. In order to gain the confidence of the alchemist's patrons the alchemist would have a wand. The Alchemist filled the wand with gold dust and capped it with wax ends. Then he placed the wand into a fire, the wax end melt and presto gold dust appeared. The amazed patrician would respond with a commitment to the alchemist. In all cases cited in the book eventually the alchemist would be exposed of his chicanery and often forced to spree.

A third one I found fascinating is the story of the Rosicrucian’s. Again in the 17th Century, a band with certain inhumanly characteristics created a sensation in Germany. They decried that God covered them in a thick cloud which protected them and they possessed the power to cure all maladies. They also possessed all wisdom and never needed to eat or drink. They had six rules of conduct.

1. They should cure all diseases they come across gratuitously. 2. They should dress in conformity to the country to which they were residing.3. They should meet once a year4. That every brother should chose a person worthy to succeed him.5. The words “Rose-cross” should be the marks used to identify each other6. Their secret should be kept for 26 years

They believed that they obtained these rules from a golden book found in the tomb of their creator named Rosencreutz.

Interesting enough the Rosicrucian group still exists. However, there is an annual $150 membership fee.

Popular haunted houses of the 17 and 18th centuries which caused fear among the masses are discussed and explained. The European witch scare is detailed as well. Would you believe the Crusades were ignited by one person who went by the name of Peter the Hermit? Peter the Hermit stirred the passions of European Christianity into a war, that some historians say, lasted 700 years.

Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds is an extraordinary tale of some of history’s most intriguing multitude arousals.

For those of you who do not like boxing you are missing out on a great sport. It was the most popular sport in the 1920’s and it remained, along withFor those of you who do not like boxing you are missing out on a great sport. It was the most popular sport in the 1920’s and it remained, along with Baseball, as the most popular sport for 70 years. There are a number of reasons for its once huge popularity. There is really nothing to compare to with two people slugging it out or one jabbing and moving while the other is futilely chasing. It is no wonder why great authors like Upton Sinclair and Joyce Carol Oats were/are great fans of the “Sweet Science.”

If that is not a rousing endorsement for the sport you will still find this book very interesting. It was called the “Fight of the Century” because it was the first heavyweight boxing match between two (one retired) champions. The fight came about when the mainly white boxing fan communities were shocked to learn that the heavyweight championship match between champion Tommy Burns and Black boxer Jack Johnson had been won by Johnson making him the first Black World heavyweight champion.

It is hard to imagine the implications of Black boxer holding the heavyweight boxing championship of the world today. However, in 1910 it was seen as an unjust aberration due to the racial prejudices which existed at the time. In fact, the great first heavy weight champion John L. Sullivan refused to fight a black man. The succeeding champions followed suit until Burns agreed to defend his title.

After a number of white challengers failed to rest the championship from the first Black champion, America clamored for the last great heavyweight champion, James Jeffries, to come out of retirement, regain his championship and return it to the white race.

James Jeffries was the only undefeated heavyweight champion when he retired. The fact is that Jeffries didn’t really like boxing. He did it because he was very, very good at it and it paid well. In fact, he only fought a total of only 21 professional fights. By comparison, Johnson had fought 48 fights before his greatest match with Jeffries. I can see why Jeffries didn’t like it. At the time there was little regulation. Fights were set for an astronomical amount of rounds (in fact, this fight was set for 45 rounds) and the winner was determined only when one person was knocked out. Boxing rounds are 3 minutes with a one minute break in between each round. To train for these fights boxers would run 15 to 20 miles a day! To get an idea of how hard this is try air punching for 3 minutes. Currently boxing is limited to 12 rounds of 3 minutes with one minute breaks.

Under tremendous pressure “the boiler maker”(as he was known because that was a former occupation of the retired champion) was 60 pounds overweight when he agreed to the fight.

Much of the book is about the promoter of the fight Tex Rickard. Richard did a sensational job of pulling this fight off. In the 1900’s most states had banned boxing. Rickard had found a state with no laws banning boxing. That state was California. So he set this fight for San Francisco. Unfortunately California was bidding for the Pan Am games and didn’t want the bad publicity attached to boxing at the time. Luckily Rickard was able to move it to a waiting Reno, Nevada for the 4th of July 1910.

Johnson took the fight very seriously and trained accordingly. Jeffries, on the other hand, would take the afternoons off of training to go fishing. However, he seemed to be in great shape on fight day.

When they met Johnson was the first to enter the ring (showing deference to the former champion). The most anticipated sporting event in history up until that time turned into a one-sided lopsided victory for the current champion. A lackluster Jeffries could not catch the moving Johnson and Johnson peppered the face of Jeffries at will. Finally in the 15th round Jeffries was knocked out to the astonishment of 16,528 paying spectators and many in the country glued to newspaper reports.

One of the interesting points brought up in this book was an explanation for Jeffries poor lackluster performance. Evidently the fish that he had been catching in his afternoon training time were contaminated with mercury from mine runoff. Jeffries lethargic appearance and his irritability are certainly consistent with symptoms of mercury poisoning. He may have fought the Fight of the Century while poisoned!

Jack Johnson was a very interesting character. He was one of the all time great champions (so is Jeffries). He was also very intelligent and had a penchant for aggravating the part of the white society that was racist. He was constantly in trouble with the law. He got a thrill out of racing his car at great speeds. He also paraded around white girl friends. He was caught transferring a woman in his car across state borders violating the Mann Act and was arrested.

After his law problems were settled, he agreed to fight a giant of man named Jess Willard. Willard was able to absorb Johnson's punches and held on to tire Johnson out knocking him out in the 26th round. After losing the title Johnson had mixed success. Age had stolen a lot of his skills but he continued boxing anyway until 1931.

He was was killed in a car crash while speeding in 1948 at the age of 68.

James J. Jeffries retired and went back to a life of alfalfa farming. He would die of natural causes in 1953 at age 77.

This event was the apex of race relations in the United States. Race riots ensued in many parts of the country after the announcement of that Johnson had defeated Jeffries in 1910.

Ranking of presidents began with Arthur Schlesinger’s polling of historians in 1948. It was revived in 1996 by his son Arthur Schlesinger Jr. who commRanking of presidents began with Arthur Schlesinger’s polling of historians in 1948. It was revived in 1996 by his son Arthur Schlesinger Jr. who commissioned a poll of 32 participants. There were many other ratings which are discussed in detail. They were all similar in that they ranked Lincoln, Washington and Roosevelt as greats.

What seems to be the best way to rank the presidents is to use The 13 Keys to the Presidency by Allen Lichtman and Ken DeCell. The author uses these keys extensively. The most important key to success was a President who was not only reelected himself but is succeeded by a President of his own party. These Presidents include Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Jackson, Lincoln, Grant, McKinley, T Roosevelt, Coolidge, F Roosevelt and Reagan. That is a pretty good list of good or great presidents, in my opinion.

He categorizes the presidents into “War and Peace”, “Split decision presidents” and “Leaders of Destiny Presidents.”

The Leaders of Destiny President’s include Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin Roosevelt. These presidents’s have set the direction of American history.

The author, Robert Merry, talks about most of the Presidents. I am going to focus on only a few.

The 1975 book “Fathers and Children: Andrew Jackson and the subjugation of the American Indian” by Michael Paul Rogin ruined President Jackson’s reputation by focusing on injustices done to Native Americans. It neglected to point out that the Trail of tears Indian relocation was done to protect the Indians from angry white settlers. At the time of Indian removal, one out of every 10 white families had been attacked by Indians. Jackson feared a severe rebuttal was brewing.

Woodrow Wilson reduced tariffs, created the Federal Reserve and introduced the graduated income tax. He also pushed through the Clayton Anti-trust Act which slowed down unfair business practices. He also created the Federal Trade Commission. However Wilson’s second term was less favorable to him. The American public, for the most part, did not buy his rational for its entrance into WWI. To make matters worse the economy nose dived at the end of his term.

When President Reagan took office the country was suffering. Unemployment was at 7.4%, the GDP declined by 1.5%, interest rates were at 21% and inflation sat at the extremely high rate of 13%. The President responded by cutting top income tax rates from 70% to 50%. The results, four years later, were evident. The country had experienced 25 straight months of economic growth. The GDP grew to a robust 6.2% and 7.3 million new jobs were created. In 1986 the President reduced top rates form 50% to 28%. When President Reagan left office the GDP had grown by 3.4% a year, inflation nearly disappeared at just 3% and unemployment had reached a 14 year low at 5.5%. One of the only just criticisms of President Reagan were the large budget deficits that came with the strong economy. However, when the author looked at them he found that they were decreasing as Reagan’s tenure was ending due to the great economic activity which took place.

President George H W Bush raised the top rate up to 31% in the 1990 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. What followed was an annual growth rate below 1%. This doomed his reelection despite reaching the highest ever recorded approval rating of 90% near the beginning of his term.

This is a great book for anyone who wants to learn more about the leaders of the greatest country that ever existed. ...more

Thomas B. Reed served two separate terms as Speaker of the House of Representatives. He served as Speaker during the presidencies of Benjamin HarrisonThomas B. Reed served two separate terms as Speaker of the House of Representatives. He served as Speaker during the presidencies of Benjamin Harrison, Grover Cleveland and William McKinley. Ironically he resembled President Cleveland being a little bit larger in physical stature with a 6 feet tall 300 pounds frame.

Reed was born and raised in the state of Maine. He attended Bowdoin College, earned a law degree and served in the Navy during the Civil war. He was very bright with an incredible wit. He used this attributes to win an election to the U.S. House of Representatives in the year 1868. He served as a mentor to future President Theodore Roosevelt. He also appointed future president and political rival William McKinley to the powerful chairmanship of the Ways and Means committee. This is where McKinley made his name with his tariff legislation.

Reed was a protectionist meaning that he favored tariffs. His overriding philosophy was that the majority ruled. If the majority wanted it, it should be granted.

His was known for increasing the power of the Speakership. He eliminated a common parliamentarian obstructionist tactic known as the disappearing quorum(the minimum number of members present to allow a vote). The disappearing quorum is where house members knowing their side would lose would not show up for the vote. At the time all 166 house members had to be present to have a quorum. So the simple act of not showing up prevented a bill from passing. Speaker Reed combated this by reading a roll call of names not present and telling the Clerk to count each name as present. He turned this procedure in to what was called the Reed Rule. The Reed rule allowed house members who were not present to be counted as present. He also reduced the minimum number required to be present to form a quorum to 100.

Some of his views included being a proponent for women’s suffrage, a supporter of high tariffs to protect American Industry, an opponent of the Spanish American War and annexation of Hawaii.

Reed retired from politics in 1899. Soon after his retirement, his mentee Theodore Roosevelt ascended to the presidency. In political retirement, Reed obtained a lucrative job at the Wall Street law firm Simpson, Thacher & Barnum. There he made over $50,000 (over $1.2 million in today’s dollars) in earnings. For those who think that politicians just live off the public dole take a look at Speaker Reed’s example. He chose a role in government despite having the skills to earn much more money in the private sector. He died as one of the greatest unrecognized political forces in American history in 1902....more

I usually prefer to read Presidential biographies to learn about the policies which shaped America’s great success (such as President Ronald Reagan’sI usually prefer to read Presidential biographies to learn about the policies which shaped America’s great success (such as President Ronald Reagan’s Cold War policy), hindered America (such as FDR’s New Deal), or left disappointing results (such as President Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society Program). In “Which President Killed a Man?” I find none of this but still found interesting and fascinating information about the leaders of this great country.

Here are a few examples:

President James Garfield was able to write Greek with his right hand and Latin with his left hand while speaking German.

“The Star Spangled Banner” became our National Anthem in 1917 due to President Woodrow Wilson’s executive order.

President Calvin Coolidge would relax by translating Dante’s Inferno from Medieval Latin to English.

President George Washington has one state, seven mountains, eight streams, ten lakes, thirty-three counties, and one hundred twenty- one towns and villages named for him.

Frederick II (the great) was the son of Frederick-William I and the Princess Sophia-Dorothea, daughter of George I of Great Britain, and was born in 1Frederick II (the great) was the son of Frederick-William I and the Princess Sophia-Dorothea, daughter of George I of Great Britain, and was born in 1712. He was granted by his parents an excellent education. When his father died Frederick ascended into Prussian kingship in 1740.

His goal was to unify the German speaking people of Europe. However, some German speaking people remained vassals of other European countries. To resolve this, he first tried to conquer Silesia. Silesia was a material rich region shared by mostly German and Polish ethnicities. However, it was under control of a powerful country of the time- Austria. He first orchestrated a victory at Mollwitz in 1741 seizing Silesia form Austria. In 1745 Austria attempted to take back Silesia, in what is known as, the Second Silesian War. At the battle of Kesselsdorf, the Prussians defeated the Austrian army forcing Austria to recognize their loss.

After 11 years of peace, Prussia’s status among Europe accelerated do to education reform and military training improvements. As a result, Prussia’s enemy Austria formed an alliance with Russia and France and tried once again to take Silesia from Frederick. However, Frederick found an unlikely ally in England who was concurrently battling France in North America. As of 1762 the combined Russian/Austrian forces were defeating the Prussians when suddenly Russia withdrew. This odd event turned the tide to Frederick’s advantage. Consequently, Prussia was once again was recognized as the master of Silesia at the Treaty of Hubertusburg. Interestingly this war goes by three different names: the Third Silesian War, the Seven Years War and the French American War.

In 1772, he obtained a portion of Poland. At his death in 1786, Prussia and Germany had more than doubled in size.

The author devotes the end of his book to why Frederick should not be entitled to the moniker “Great.” I will list some reasons why he has earned that title. He built the Berlin State Opera House as well as other sensational architecture. He turned the Berlin Academy into the most influential scientific intuitions in the world. He created grain storage facilities which were used to feed the poor when necessary. I think however that what he is most celebrated for is his practice of religious tolerance. He accepted dispelled Jesuits and provided them with teaching jobs in Silesia and Warmia. He also accepted Jewish bankers and merchants as well as expelled Huguenots from France. ...more

This book is not only about the first Black Heavyweight Boxing Champion Jack Johnson but about racism in the early 20th Century. Jack Johnson was a laThis book is not only about the first Black Heavyweight Boxing Champion Jack Johnson but about racism in the early 20th Century. Jack Johnson was a large, fast quick and powerful puncher whose skill at avoiding punches is still to this day legendary. He won the Colored heavyweight Championship. That was an important championship but still only ranked second to the World Heavy Weight Championship that was held in 1910 by the great Jim Jeffries.

Jack Johnson had defeated all the great Black fighters of the era defending the Colored heavyweight Championship. He won the tile by 12 round KO over Frank Childs then defeated Sam Langford, Sam McVea and Joe Jeanette among others in defense of his title. So he naturally thought he deserved a shot at the coveted World Heavyweight Title.

The Champion Jim Jeffries had followed the traditions of the first ever World Heavyweight Champion John L. Sullivan who refused to allow Blacks to fight for what was the biggest prize in sports. Jack Johnson was there to buck that tradition. J Johnson followed J. Jeffries all over the country trying unsuccessfully to embarrass Jim Jeffries to box him. Then all of a sudden Jim Jeffries retired.

Jeffries appointed the two men to box with the winner awarded the next Heavy Weight Championship. The two men were Jack Root and Marvin Hart. Marvin Hart won the match defeating Jack Root then afterwards lost the title in his first defense to Tommy Burns. Tommy Burns, after winning the title traveled to Europe where he defended successfully his championship 13 times. Johnson followed him to Europe and tracked him down in Australia. Burns, to his credit, agreed to fight Johnson in a 20 round bout.

Johnson battered Burns over 14 rounds when the police came and halted the contest. The referee awarded Johnson the decision and the World Heavyweight Championship with it.

Johnson’s life got very interesting after he won the title. He came back to America where he was given a parade in Chicago, where he had been living, however the more he won defending the championship the greater the cry to find a great white hope to beat him.

After Johnson had three easy defenses for of his title, the public demanded former Heavyweight Champion Jim Jeffries come out of retirement and win the championship back.

Jeffries had retied to California to farm alfalfa. He had ballooned to over 300 hundred pounds but finally relented and decided to come back to boxing and fight Johnson. By fight time of the fight, Jeffries looked in great shape and had most of white America hoping and predicting his victory. However, he was weak from the weight loss and was easily defeated by technical knockout in the 15th round of a scheduled 45 round fight, in what was called the “Fight of The Century.”

After that huge victory a demoralized white population lost hope in finding a man capable of defeating Johnson for now. Jack Johnson did little to endure himself to the white population of America as well. He date many white girls and at that time that was very unpopular in both white and black society. One of these ladies got him in big trouble later in his career.

In 1912 he was arrested for violating the Mann Act which outlawed transporting women across state lines for immoral purposes. The charge stemmed from one of Johnson’s white girl friend’s Belle Schreiber. Belle, was a former prostitute, after he had dumped her she called him for help one night claiming she was destitute. Johnson had amassed a fortune from his fight winning so he moved her from Pittsburgh to Chicago and bought her an apartment. At this apartment she set up a brothel. Afterwards Belle, who still harbored a grudge against Johnson, testified against him and he was convicted of violating the Mann Act.

Johnson skipped bail and fled the country to Canada. He later moved to France.

Meanwhile a 29 year old giant of a man and a white farmer was being groomed as the next “Great White Hope.” Jess Willard was a 6 foot 6 inch giant. He lost is first few bouts but got better each time he had fought. He was known to be able to take a great amount of punishment in the ring. He had ran off a string of victories and was offered a match with the Champion Jack Johnson in Havana Cuba for the championship.

In 1915 under blazing sun in Havana Jack Johnson was winning the fight however he could not knock out the giant Willard and tired out in the 26th round. Johnson then took a powerful shot from Willard that knocked him out.

Willard received a hero’s welcome in America when he came back. Johnson, on the other hand, came back and turned himself over to authorities and served a 9 month sentence for violating the Mann Act in Leavenworth Kansas.

When Johnson got out of jail, he continued to box but never got another chance at the championship. He witnessed his conqueror Jess Willard be brutalized by the next great heavyweight Champion Jack Dempsey.

Jack Johnson finally saw the next future great Black Champion Joe Louis on his way up and tried to manage him. However, Jack Blackburn, Louis’s current manager, despised Jack Johnson. In retaliation, Johnson took it upon himself criticized Joe Louis as he was climbing to the top. This not only alienated him to Joe Louis but also alienated him to much of his fellow black community who were huge Louis fans.

Johnson died at the age of 68 when he crashed racing his car.

Jack Jonson was a scientific boxer in that he excelled on defense. He would tilt his head back to avoid punches like Muhammad Ali would do later and very few other boxer could get away with.

He was also a very smart man. He loved to read. Muhammad Ali said of him “he alienated America by dating white women, I am his copy but I alienate people with religion.”...more